Hand of Fate is a fresh take on the rogue-lite genre that starts off flush with unique ideas, but by the final few hands it's out of trump cards.

It would have been nice to have seen Call of Duty evolve with more determination over the last four years. Perhaps a newer engine, a longer campaign, or a change of location outside of those already featured. But it's hard to deny that Call of Duty – the Modern Warfare brand in particular – is a product of its own success, and a product of its consumer appeal. It exists in the way it does because it sells, and it sells because it's predictable.

Dirt 4's casual-friendly additions subdue its handling model, but it's a great racer regardless – especially for those that struggle to stay on the track in Dirt Rally.

Heavy Rain Remastered doesn't go far enough in reworking its source material. It's still the definitive version of Quantic's murder mystery, but it still carries the flaws of its forefather.

One of the best RPGs of all time returns. This new edition succeeds not because of any enhancements added by Beamdog, but because the game BioWare created is still as strong as it ever was with only dated design and mechanics holding it back.

An open-world survivalist horror with deep strategy elements, State of Decay puts the player's zombie apocalypse scenarios to the test in such a thoughtful, complex way that it's almost possible to ignore the awful central narrative and numerous technical issues. It's a rough game, but one worth exploring.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a fantastic racer. The tracks and racers are great, and the controls – small jet niggles aside – are excellent.

Perfect for old-school Sonic fans.

It's what the pack shot suggests - an honest paint-by-numbers shooter set in the Old West. The story might be over too soon, but the multiplayer will hold your attention for much longer. A definite improvement over the original Call of Juarez.

It's an improvement on episode one, but there's too much inane padding in Out of Time for it to warrant a hearty recommendation.

Skylanders: Trap Team is packed full of clever ideas and sharp design. It's well presented and well executed, but be warned: if you let your guard down, it'll also crit your credit card for massive damage.

With its cartoon punk press aesthetic, excellent soundtrack and lengthy-but-unpadded campaign, there's little reason not to enthusiastically recommend Charlie Murder.

Equally as good on PC as it is on the Xbox 360. You’ll have trouble tearing the kids away from it, let alone yourself.

The first multiplatform release from Tarsier is a taut grim fairytale of a puzzle-platformer that's perfect to explore on a rainy afternoon.

The potential was there, but Ghostbusters The Video Game is not as good as it might have been. It's fun when it is a ghost-capturing game, but the addition of third-person shooter elements spoils it.

It's still faithfully wedded to its classical framework, but by manipulating the way the audience thinks about what has always been one of the most arbitrary elements of the Super Mario Bros. series, it makes the game even more of a challenge than before. There are new dangers to confront and new reasons to repeat worlds, and this prompted seachange in the way we think about Mario yields results both fascinating and entertaining.

Dead Rising 3 is an ambitious and frequently giddy open world brawler that allows players to indulge their silly side while creatively dispatching the undead. The story is a let-down and the missions become tedious, but the sandbox play here is magnificent, despite some technical overreaching.

EA's Grand Slam Tennis packs in everything you would expect from a well made tennis title.

Dead Space 3 is an enjoyable action game, but it's unlikely to make a lasting impression.

If you want an RTS that requires a command to be issued every second then you're still going to need that PC, but in the meantime R.U.S.E. in an acceptable distraction for those willing to skirmish online.

Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition is the best way to play the game, and is a good fit on the Switch. That said, this one’s definitely for newcomers rather than returning players, and the frame rate can still play up in moments where’s there’s just a bit too much going on.

The experience of playing a game like this on the handheld mode of a Switch is also a joyous one and has lent to me having more fun with these games than I ever have before.

If you aren't entranced by mechanically shallow games like Journey, don't bother. But if you find exploration titles even marginally interesting, Abzu is an absolute must-play – it's the most majestic one yet.

Life Is Strange: Before The Storm gets off to a moderately good start. Its characters are interesting, but the plot is entirely unclear right now, and is moving in a direction I'm not all that invested in.

While it has its problems, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is a memorable, emotional ride through post-apocalyptic England, rife with mystery, intrigue, and a sense of the unknown.

A fast paced, fluid tennis simulation. The steep learning curve will put off those wanting a quick, arcade tennis bash, but if you take the time to learn the game it is a rewarding, fun experience.

In the end, Distant Stars is worthy it for the extra anomalies and the novelty of the L-Clusters alone, though it’s hardly a must have. Paradox’s ongoing support is commendable, but the studio has consistently failed to fix issues that have plagued the game for nearly three years now.

A good solid soccer title which builds on previous EA soccer titles. Some glitches here and there and a high learning curve means you will need to stick at it, and might put off newcomers to the series. But an incredible match and graphics engine help to make up for this.